Apparatus for tufting high and low cut pile



June 23, 1964 R. T. CARD 3,138,126

APPARATUS FOR TUFTING HIGH AND LOW CUT PILE Filed April 13, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N: A a

g? 4 INVENTOR Roy 7? (2690 June 23, 1964 R. 'r. CARD 3,133,126

APPARATUS FOR TUFTING HIGH AND LOW CUT FILE Filed April 13, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR United States Patent Office arrests Patented June 23, 1964 3,138,126 AhPARATUS FGR TUFTING HHGH AND LUW CUT PELE Roy T. Card, Chattanooga, Tenn, assigner, by mesne assignments, to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y.,

a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 102,842 12 Claims. (Cl. 112-79 This invention relates to apparatus for selectively forming high cut pile and low cut pile tufts in the same row of stitching in a base fabric, and more particularly to the novel construction and positioning of a hook for carrying out such a method.

In Us. Patent No. 3,084,645, issued April 9, 1963, applicant defined an invention for forming high cut pile and low loop pile in the same row of stitching by holding the loops upon the looper until they were cut by the reciprocatory knife when a regular full length of yarn was fed to the needle. However, when the yarn was selectively backdrawn from the needle, means were provided for releasing the yarn from the free end of the looper before the loop was cut. Thus, high cut pile was formed for normal length stitches, and low loops were formed when the yarn was backdrawn.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel hook structure which will cooperate with the loop holding means and the yarn backdrawing means, such as disclosed in Patent No. 3,084,645, for forming high cut pile and low cut pile in the same row of stitching.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a tufting machine a book of novel construction incorporating a pair of loop-forming bills adapted to point in the direction opposite the direction of fabric feed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel hook construction which may be easily inserted in an existing conventional tufting machine having a pattern control mechanism for eifecting a two-speed yarn feed, to produce cut pile of two different heights in the same row of stitching.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for forming an infinite variety of high and low cut pile patterns in a tufted fabric.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel device for converting an existing multiple needle cut pile tufting machine into a machine for forming an infinite variety of high and low cut pile designs in any row of stitching in a minimum of time and expense.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a multiple needle tufting machine made in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic top plan view of the pattern controlled yarn feed mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a perspective fragmentary view of a preferred form of the hook and a needle in an operative position preparatory to forming a loop;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the'line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation looking in the opposite direction from FIG. 1 disclosing a second operative position of the hook engaging the needle;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5 disclos ing a third operative position of the hook, Where the loop is being stripped from the lower bill; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 disclosing a fourth operative position where the loop has been stripped from the lower bill and is being retained by the upper bill.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, FIG. 1 discloses the cross-section of a multiple needle tufting machine comprising a frame or housing 10 having a bed plate 11 adapted to support the movement of the base rear by means of fabric feed rolls l3 and 14. The needle drive means comprises a transverse rotary shaft 15, which may be driven by any suitable power means, not shown. The shaft 15 intermediate its ends is provided with a plurality'of eccentrics 16, operatively associated with the connecting rods 1'7 tovertically reciprocate the push rods 18 and needle bar 19 supporting a plurality of aligned needles 20 adapted to alternately penetrate the moving fabric 12. The slotted needle plate 21 is mounted on top of the bed plate 11 to support the base fabric 12 while the needles 2% reciprocate therethrough.

The yarn 25 is supplied to each needle 20 by any convenient type of yarn feed mechanism which may be controlled to selectively feed individual yarns at two different speeds to the needles. By way of illustration, the pattern control mechanism, which is the subject matter of Us. Patent No. 2,935,037 of J. L. Card for Apparatus for Making Patterned Tufted Pile Fabric, is disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 for supplying the yarn 25 at slow and fast speeds. This pattern control mechanism comprises a pair of closely spaced parallel yarn feed rolls 26 and 27, each feed roll having, respectively, uniformly spaced circular yarn-gripping bands 28 and 29 made of frictional ma terial, each band being adapted to engage and feed a yarn at the peripheral speed of the roll on which the band is located. The yarn-gripping bands 28 on the roll '26 are staggered with respect to the yarn-gripping bands 29 on the feed roll 27, in order that any yarn 25 passing between the rolls will be engaged either by a band 28 or a band 29 and permittted to slip on the surface of the opposite roll. Each feed roll 26 or 2'7 is driven at a different speed from the other feed roll. Although either feed roll 26 or 27 may be positively driven from a suitable power source, not shown, a large gear 30 fixed to the shaft of the feed roll 26 and meshing with the smaller gear 31 fixed to the shaft of the feed roll 27 will cause the rear feed roll 27 to rotate at a faster speed than the front feed roll 26. Thus, a yarn 25 engaging a front feed roll band 28 will be fed at a slower rate than a yarn 25 engaging a rear feed roll band 29.

Mounted above the yarn feed rolls 26 and 27 is a yarn shifting finger 32 pivoted on a vertical spindle 33 and adapted to shift yarns longitudinally on the rolls. 26 and 2'7 to permit a pair of adjacent yarn gripping bands 23 and 29 to alternately grip the yarn 25 carried by the corre sponding finger 32. The opposite end of the shifting finger 32 is pivotally connected to the armature 34 of the solenoid $5, to permit pivotal movement of the finger upon energization or de-energization of the solenoid 35. Each solenoid 35 is individually controlled through an electrical lead 36 connected to a pattern drum finger 37. Each finger 37 is adapted to engage the surface of the rotating pattern drum 38 when the finger 37 rides in a slot 39 of a pattern sheet 40 to close the electrical circuit between a power source, not shown, and the respective solenoid 35. When the pattern finger 3'7 rides on the surface of the pattern sheet 4t electrical contact is broken. The solenoid 37 will become deenergized and theshifting finger 32 will be permitted to return to its original position. The pattern drum 32' is rotated by means of a belt 41 which is connected to a suitable driving source, not shown. As best disclosed in FIG. 2, the yarn shifting finger 32, disclosed in solid lines, maintains its corresponding yarn 25 in contact withthe yarn-gripping band 29 of the fast feed roll 27 when the pattern drum finger 37 engages the solid surface of the pattern sheet 46 to de-energize the solenoid 35. When the pattern finger 37 engages a slot 39 to close the electrical circuit to the solenoid 35, the armature 34 is withdrawn, causing the yarn shifting finger 32 to pivot to the dashed line position of FIG. 2 and move its corresponding yarn 25 to engage the adjacent yarn-gripping 3 band 28 of the slower yarn feed roll 26. Feeding yarn from the slower feed roll 26 will backrob or backdraw yarn from a previously formed loop to form low loops of a uniform height lower than the uniform high loops formed by feeding from the fast feed roll 27.

The tufting machine and elements thus far described are old in the art.

In order to carry out this invention, a looper or hook 44 of novel construction is provided. The hook 44 comprises a shank 45 which is inserted in a reciprocable hook bar 46 mounted transversely of the machine on a shaft 47 adapted to be reciprocated by mechanism, not shown, in a conventional manner. The shank 45 extends upwardly to form a first throat 48- from which a first or lower bill 49 extends in the opposite direction of fabric feed. The first bill 49 extends from the throat 48 substantially normal to the axis of the shank 45. However, the undersurface of the first bill 49 adjacent its free end 50 forms an upwardly sloping surface 51.

Spaced above and substantially parallel to the lower bill 49, a second or upper bill 53 extends from throat 54 in the same direction as the lower bill 49 and in the same plane as the shank 45. The free end of the upper bill 53 terminates in a distinctly down-turned portion 55 which extends beyond the free end 50 of the lower bill.

Secured to one side of the hook 44 is a resilient spring clip 57 having one end fixed to the shank 45 by any convenient means, such as bolts or pins 58. The clip 57 extends substantially parallel to and spaced below the lower bill 49 in a substantially straight portion 59. The clip 57 then bends outwardly away from the book 44 into a gradual arcuate portion 69 which curves back in to form an elongated creased portion 61 which extends upwardly to engage the free end 50 of the lower bill 49. A flared portion 62 of the clip 57 diverges from the hook 44 and the creased portion 61 at such an angle as to engage and guide a needle between the bills 49 and 53 on one side and the spring clip 57 on the other side, as the hook 44 moves toward engagement with a loop 67 carried by the needle 29.

Mounted on the opposite side of the hook 44 from the spring clip 57 is a knife 63 supported in a conventional manner by a knife holder 64 mounted on a reciprocable knife shaft 65. The knife shaft 65 may be reciprocably rotated by any conventional drive means in a tufting machine, not shown. The knife 63 is adapted to reciprocate and cooperate with both bills 49 and 53 in the vicinity of their respective throats 48 and 54 in a similar manner as the coaction between a conventional knife and cut pile hook. However, the knife 63 and the knife shaft 65 are so positioned that the knife will have a slightly greater stroke than a conventional cut pile knife in order that it may cut loops held by both bills 49 and 53 on the same stroke.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

With the motor, not shown, in operation, the fabric feed rolls 13 and 14, the main drive shaft 15, the yarn feed rolls 26 and 27, and the pattern drum 38 are simultaneously rotated, and the hook shaft 47 and the knife shaft 65 are simultaneously reciprocated to cooperate with each other in synchronous relationship.

As each needle 20 is pushed down through the base fabric 12, the hook 44 and the knife 63 are reciprocated to their extreme rearward positions, substantially shown in FIG. 7. When the needle 20 descends to its lowermost position carrying the yarn through the base fabric 12, the hook 44 begins its movement toward the front of the machine in the direction opposite the fabric feed, as best disclosed in FIGS. '5 and 4. Continued forward movement of the hook 44 will cause the flared portion 62 to engage and be moved outwardly by the needle 20, so that the bills 49 and 53 may pass between the needle 20 and one leg of the loop 67. As the bills 49 and 53 continue their forward passage through the loop, the needle 20 enters the curved portion 60 of the spring clip 57, which returns to its original position with the creased portion 61 resting against the bill 49, as disclosed in FIG. 5. While the hook 44 is momentarily in its forwardmost position, the needle 20 will move upward to become disengaged from the bills 49 and 53, with the creased portion 61 engaging the bill 49 to prevent the loop 67 from normally slipping over the free end 50 of the lower bill 49 when the hook 44 reciproeates toward its rearmost position. During this operation, the yarn 25 is normally being fed to the needle 29 by its corresponding yarn gripping band 29 on the fast feed roll 27 to form long loops. Continued feeding of the fabric 12 will cause the long loops to move along the lower bills 49 toward the throat 48 so the loops will be cut by the reciprocating knife 63 to form high cut pile tufts 68.

When it is desired to form low cut pile tufts 69 in a particular row of stitching, the pattern finger 37 will engage a notch 39 in the pattern sheet 40 to close the electrical circuit energizing the solenoid 35 to cause the armature 34 and yarn shifting finger 32 to assume the dashedline position of FIG. 2 and shift the yarn 25 from the yarn-gripping band 29 to the adjacent yarn-gripping band 28 of the slow-speed roll 26.

The yarn 25 fed by the slow-speed roll 26 will be backdrawn or robbed from the previously formed loop 67, which is still held on the bill 49 by the spring clip 57. However, the backdrawing of the yarn 25 provides sufficient tension to draw the loop 67 toward the pointed end 50 and force the creased portion 61 to separate from the bill 49, as disclosed in FIG. 6, and thereby permit the loop 67 to pass between the bill 49 and the flexed spring clip 57. After the loop 67 has slipped off the lower bill 49, it is subsequently caught by the down-turncd free end 55 of the upper bill 53 where it is held as a short loop, as best disclosed in FIG. 7. Continued rearward movement of the hook 44 will also provide additional tension in the yarn 25 to assist in removing the loop 67 from the lower bill 49, although this invention contemplates backdrawiug yarn from a stationary hook, if desired. The movement of the fabric 12 carries the low loops held on the upper bill 53 toward the throat 54 where the low loops are cut by the reciprocating knife 63 to form low cut pile tufts 69.

The strength of the springclip 57 is pre-selected to flex only when forced by a backdrawn loop 67 or the needle 20. Thus, selective feeding of the yarn 25 at different speeds by means of the pattern control mechanism will cause the formation of high cut pile tufts 68 and low cut pile tufts 69 in the same row of stitching. Selective speed control of a plurality of yarns 25 in a multiple needle tufting machine will create any desired pattern of contrasting high and low cut pile, as determined by the pattern formed in the pattern sheet 40.

It is also within the scope of this invention to use any type of pattern control mechanism or yarn feed mech anism which may be selectively operated to feed individual yarns at a normal fast rate and a slow enough rate to backrob the yarn to release loops from the free end of the hook 49 for retention on the upper bill 53.

It can also be appreciated that a conventional multiple needle tufting machine having cut pile hooks and cooperating knives for forming cut pile fabrics may be converted into the above-described machine for forming selected areas of high and low cut pile according to any pre-determined patterns by merely exchanging the conventional cut pile hooks for the books 44 and spring clip 57 of this invention and by adding any conventional pattern control mechanism for feeding yarns at two different speeds. I

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tufting machine, means for supporting a base fabric, a reciprocable needle carrying yarn to penetrate the base fabric and form loops therein, means for reciprocating said needle, a hook comprising a first bill and a second bill rigidly spaced apart in the reciprocable direction of travel of said needle, said bills having free ends pointing in the same direction and closed ends opposite said free ends, means for relatively moving said fabric to carry said loops toward the closed ends of said bills, means supporting said hook to direct the free ends of both said bills through each loop formed by said needle, means for selectively relatively moving said hook away from said needle in the direction of fabric feed, the free end of said first bill having a smooth, unobstructed surface remote from said second bill to permit a loop to be pulled thereover, means for feeding yarn to said needle at a normal predetermined speed to form loops on said first bill, means for reducing the speed of said yarn feed to pull a loop from the free end of said first bill when said hook and needle have moved away from each other, the free end of said second bill being spaced from the free end of said first bill in the path of said pulled loop to catch said loop thereon, means for holding loops on said first bill when said yarn feed is normal and for releasing a loop pulled from said first bill when the speed of said yarn feed is reduced, and means for severing said loops adjacent the closed ends of said bills.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in Which said holding and releasing means comprises a spring clip having a free end biased toward engagement with the free end of said first bill, the strength of said spring clip being sufiicient to yield to the movement of said pulled loop to permit said loop to slide between said clip and said first bill and off the free end of said first bill.

3. In a tufting machine, means for feeding a base fabric in one direction, a reciprocable needle carrying yarn to penetrate the base fabric and form loops therein, means for reciprocating said needle, a reciprocatory hook comprising a first bill and a second bill rigidly spaced apart in the reciprocable direction of travel of said needle, said bills having closed ends in the direction of fabric feed and free ends. pointing opposite the direction of fabric feed, means for reciprocating said hook to direct both said bills across said needle in loop forming position so that the loops are caught by said first bill, the free end of said first bill having a smooth unobstructed surface remote from said second bill to permit a loop to be pulled thereover, means for feeding yarn to said needle at a normal predetermined speed to form loops on said first bill, means for selectively reducing the speed of said yarn feed to pull a loop from the free end of said first bill, the free end of said second bill extending beyond the free end of said first bill in the path of said pulled loop to catch said loop thereon, means for holding said loops on said first bill when said yarn feed is normal and for releasing a loop pulled from said first bill when the speed of said yarn feed is reduced, all of said loops formed on said first and second bills being carried toward the closed ends of said bills by the feeding of said fabric, and means for severing said loops adjacent the closed ends of said bills.

4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said second bill is above said first bill and the bottom portion of the free end of said first bill slopes upward.

5. The invention according to claim 4 in which the free end of said second bill slopes downward over the free end of said first bill.

6. The invention according to claim 3 in which said severing means comprises a single knife, and means for reciprocating said knife across the closed ends of both said first and second bills.

7. The invention according to claim 3 in which said holding and releasing means comprises a spring clip having a free end biased toward engagement with the free end of first bill, the strength of said spring clip being sufficient to yield to the movement of said pulled loop to permit said loop to slide between said clip and said first bill and ofi the free end of said first bill.

8. In a tufting machine, means for supporting a base fabric, means for stitching a yarn through said base fabric in a pre-determined direction to form loops therein, a hook comprising a first bill and a second bill rigidly spaced apart in said pre-determined direction, said bills having free ends pointing in the same direction and closed ends opposite said free ends, means for relatively moving said loops upon said bills toward the closed ends of said bills, means supporting said hook to direct the free ends of both said bills through each loop formed by said stitching means, the free end of said first bill having a smooth, unobstructed surface remote from said second bill to permit a loop to be pulled thereover, yieldable means for engaging the free end of said first bill normally to prevent the withdrawal of loops therefrom, means for selectively backdrawing yarn from a loop formed on said first bill with sutficient tension in the direction of the free end of said first bill to cause said loop to force said yieldable means away from the free end of said first bill to permit said loop to be withdrawn from the free end of said first bill, the free end of said second bill being spaced from the free end of said first bill in the path of said pulled loop to catch said loop thereon, and means for severing the loops moved to the closed ends of said bills.

9. The invention according to claim 8 in which said hook supporting means comprises means for reciprocating said hook in the direction of the free and closed ends of said bills so that a backdrawn loop will be withdrawn from the free end of said first bill when said hook is reciprocated in the direction of the closed ends of said bills.

10. The invention according to claim 8 in which said smooth surface of the free end of said first bill slopes toward the free end of said second bill to facilitate the withdrawal of loops therefrom.

11. A hook for use in a tufting machine, said hook being planar and comprising a shank having a mounting portion for mounting the same in the hook bar of a tufting machine and an upper end, a first bill extending from said shank to define a first throat between said bill and said shank, said first bill having a top edge and a smooth bottom edge that extends from said throat substantially normal to the axis of the shank and that, adjacent to the end of said bill, slopes smoothly toward said top edge to form a point therewith, a second bill extending in the same direction as said first bill from said upper end, said second bill being spaced above said first bill to define a throat between said second bill and said shank, said second bill having a free end extending beyond said point, a spring clip secured to the body portion of said shank and extending generally in spaced parallel relation to said first bill, said spring clip having a free end that resiliently engages said first bill adjacent said point.

12. The invention according to claim 11 in which the free end of said second bill slopes downwardly over said point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,589,340 Chambers Mar. 18, 1952 2,842,080 Hoeselbarth July 8, 1958 2,879,729 McCutchen Mar. 31, 1959 2,982,239 McCutchen May 2, 1961 2,985,124 Rice May 23, 1961 2,990,792 Nowicki et al July 4, 1961 

1. IN A TUFTING MACHINE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A BASE FABRIC, A RECIPROCABLE NEEDLE CARRYING YARN TO PENETRATE THE BASE FABRIC AND FORM LOOPS THEREIN, MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID NEEDLE, A HOOK COMPRISING A FIRST BILL AND A SECOND BILL RIGIDLY SPACED APART IN THE RECIPROCABLE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF SAID NEEDLE, SAID BILLS HAVING FREE ENDS POINTING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND CLOSED ENDS OPPOSITE SAID FREE ENDS, MEANS FOR RELATIVELY MOVING SAID FABRIC TO CARRY SAID LOOPS TOWARD THE CLOSED ENDS OF SAID BILLS, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID HOOK TO DIRECT THE FREE ENDS OF BOTH SAID BILLS THROUGH EACH LOOP FORMED BY SAID NEEDLE, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY RELATIVELY MOVING SAID HOOK AWAY FROM SAID NEEDLE IN THE DIRECTION OF FABRIC FEED, THE FREE END OF SAID FIRST BILL HAVING A SMOOTH, UNOBSTRUCTED SURFACE REMOTE FROM SAID SECOND BILL TO PERMIT A LOOP TO BE PULLED THEREOVER, MEANS FOR FEEDING YARN TO SAID NEEDLE AT A NORMAL PREDETERMINED SPEED TO FORM LOOPS ON SAID FIRST BILL, MEANS FOR REDUCING THE SPEED OF SAID YARN FEED TO PULL A LOOP FROM THE FREE END OF SAID FIRST BILL WHEN SAID HOOK AND NEEDLE HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, THE FREE END OF SAID SECOND BILL BEING SPACED FROM THE FREE END OF SAID FIRST BILL IN THE PATH OF SAID PULLED LOOP TO CATCH SAID LOOP THEREON, MEANS FOR HOLDING LOOPS ON SAID FIRST BILL WHEN SAID YARN FEED IS NORMAL AND FOR RELEASING A LOOP PULLED FROM SAID FIRST BILL WHEN THE SPEED OF SAID YARN FEED IS REDUCED, AND MEANS FOR SEVERING SAID LOOPS ADJACENT THE CLOSED ENDS OF SAID BILLS. 